Impact of structured feedback sessions on work-related stress among nurses in inpatient acute care settings: a randomised controlled exploratory study

Background: Nurses in acute care settings are frequently exposed to high psychological and organisational demands, which can lead to increased levels of work-related stress, negatively affecting professional well-being and patient outcomes. Structured feedback sessions have been proposed as a supportive leadership intervention to enhance communication, reduce work-related stress and strengthen managerial support within clinical teams. Aim: To examine the impact of structured feedback sessions, conducted at 3-week intervals, on work-related stress among nurses working in inpatient acute care settings in Austria. Methods: An exploratory randomised controlled study was conducted among 30 nursing professionals working in acute inpatient wards. Participants were stratified by baseline stress levels and randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving structured feedback sessions with their line manager or a control group receiving no intervention. Stress levels were measured at baseline and after 3 months using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Data were analysed using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests (paired t -test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann–Whitney U test). Results: The intervention group demonstrated a reduction in mean stress scores from 24.53 (SD = 6.20) at baseline to 21.27 (SD = 5.74) at follow-up, while the control group showed an increase from 21.40 (SD = 6.29) to 23.47 (SD = 6.53). Participation in the feedback sessions showed a rank-serial correlation of r = −0.633 with perceived work stress. The negative direction indicates a reduction in stress levels, with the intervention group showing a significantly greater reduction in stress than the control group ( p = 0.0005). Conclusion: Structured feedback sessions are an effective intervention for reducing work-related stress among nurses in acute care settings and have the potential to be integrated into regular clinical leadership practice. This study provides evidence that structured feedback sessions are a low-cost, feasible and manager-led intervention that can promote nurse well-being, support early identification of stressors and enhance communication within clinical teams. Their implementation may contribute to improved workforce retention, stronger team cohesion and better patient care outcomes.